0
Anxiety Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

Mixed conditional?

1font01i00"02i01b01i01u00If I were02u02i02b01i00 a dead leaf thou mightest bear; 02i02font02br
02br
01font01i00 02i01b01i00If I were02i02b01i00 a swift cloud to fly with thee; (...)02i02font02br
02br
01font01i00 02i01b01i00if 02i02b01i00even02i01b01i00 I were02i02b01i00 as in my boyhood, and could be 02i02font02br
02br
01font01i00 02i00The comrade of thy wanderings over heaven, 02font02br
02br
01i01font00 As then, when to outstrip thy skiey speed 02font02i02br
02br
01i01font00Scarce seem'd a vision—I 01u01b00would ne'er have striven02b02u00 02font02i02br
02br
01font01i00 02i00 As thus with thee in prayer in my sore need. "02font02br
02br
01font00 (from "Ode to the West Wind")02font02br
02br
00I should explain why Shelley uses this kind of conditional sentence in this stanza, its function.02br
02br
00What type of conditional is it? II, III or mixed? What does he want to express? I can't come out of it...02br
02br
00 Can anybody help me? 01b05002b010id7
  

Top answer

02br 02br 00If I were... The first part is in Past Simple because it's not actually an action. 0-

— Ant_222

  • 02br 02br 00If I were...
  • The first part is in Past Simple because it's not actually an action.
  • 0-
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

7 Answers
0
0Yes, it's mixed conditional.02br
02br
00If I were... The first part is in Past Simple because it's not actually an action. Rather it is just a state.02br
02br
00The second part, "I would never have striven", is written so because the author regrets about a past deed.0-
0
0
0 BTW, the full poem is here:02br
02br
00 Ode to the West Wind02br
05002br
02br
00 For its understanding, see: 02br
05102br
0230hrefhttp://www.bartleby.com/106/275231hrefhttp://www.essays.cc/free_essays/e5/tmw244.shtml
0
0
01. If I were X, I would never have done Y.02br
02br
00If you have to analyse the structure in terms of the traditional conditional types, yes, it is indeed "mixed".02br
02br
00The if-clause is a type 2; the main clause is a type 3.02br
02br
00The reason is as follows. Where the if-clause presents an imaginary present 01i00st
0
0
0 For those traditional conditional types mentioned by MrP, you may want to have a look at: 02br
0500230hrefhttp://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-conditional_3.htm
0
0
0 A similar example:02br
02br
00 ------02br
00 "I'm glad I'm not an Epsilon," said Lenina, with conviction.02br
02br
00 "And01b00 if you were02b00 an Epsilon," said Henry, "your conditioning 01b00would02br
00 have made you02b00 no less thankful that you weren't a Beta or an Alpha." 
0
0
0Thank you so much for your punctual answers: now all is clear! 05002br
02br
00This site helps me so much,02br
02br
00Congratulations to you all02br
02br
00Anxiety010id1
0
0
0You're welcome, Anxiety!02br
02br
00I hope you enjoy your time here (and find it reassuring).02br
02br
00All the best,02br
02br
00MrP0-
0

Related Questions